Locker decided to stay at Washington for his senior season rather than enter the NFL draft, and that's why he and Luck will duel Saturday in Seattle in an attractive matchup of big, strong pro-style quarterbacks who can run as well as pass.

Locker has taken a beating in recent weeks - a thigh bruise against Arizona State, sore ribs against Oregon State. He said he played last week's game against Arizona, a 44-14 loss, at 90 percent. He probably was worse than that but wasn't about to admit to it.

There was speculation that he was playing with a broken rib, a notion that coach Steve Sarkisian denied. Locker said the only strategic limitation on his play was a ban on running up the middle, where he would be especially susceptible to rib shots.

According to Sarkisian, Locker's injuries "can factor in when it's time to run and time to flush out of the pocket and make your plays."

PALO ALTO, CA - OCTOBER 23: Andrew Luck #12 of the Stanford Cardinal passes the ball against the Washington State Cougars at Stanford Stadium on October 23, 2010 in Palo Alto, California.

PALO ALTO, CA - OCTOBER 23: Andrew Luck #12 of the Stanford Cardinal passes the ball against the Washington State Cougars at Stanford Stadium on October 23, 2010 in Palo Alto, California.

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

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PALO ALTO, CA - OCTOBER 23: Andrew Luck #12 of the Stanford Cardinal passes the ball against the Washington State Cougars at Stanford Stadium on October 23, 2010 in Palo Alto, California.

PALO ALTO, CA - OCTOBER 23: Andrew Luck #12 of the Stanford Cardinal passes the ball against the Washington State Cougars at Stanford Stadium on October 23, 2010 in Palo Alto, California.

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

Andrew Luck, Jake Locker are NFL ready

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Scrambling for critical yardage has been Locker's trademark since his freshman year, when he ran for a Pac-10 quarterback record 986 yards and passed for 2,062.

His attractiveness to NFL scouts has taken a bit of a bruising this year, too, although he is still considered a high draft choice. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. wrote recently that Locker's 56.5 percent completion rate - down from last year's 58.2 - "will be a red flag for some scouts."

"Locker is not nearly as accurate as Luck," he said. "That probably separates the two. Locker is a little more athletic, although Luck is a lot more mobile than people think."

Had Locker entered this year's draft, he probably would have been picked by the Buffalo Bills with the ninth selection, Shonka said. While his completion percentage is down, he has improved in other ways under Sarkisian, mainly in decision-making, according to Shonka.

"When he pulls the ball down, he's as dangerous as any quarterback out there," Shonka said. "His decision making is better - making the right read and deciding when to throw or not throw." In the next draft, "he'll still be in the top 10 picks somewhere," he said.

Luck would be the top pick if he comes out, Shonka said. "When you put together a profile for an NFL quarterback, it would look a lot like Luck. He's not only book-smart but football-smart. He hasn't been mollycoddled with (Jim) Harbaugh. He coaches those guys tough."

Locker has impressed Harbaugh with his grit as well as his talents. "He's a warrior out there," he said. "We've seen him get knocked down and bounce back up. We've seen him make some great throws. You can tell he's been a little hampered with the injuries, but he plays through it."

Luck said he got to know Locker during the Pac-10's promotional trip to New York last summer. "He's an awesome guy, humble, down to earth, a hard-working guy," Luck said.

Matching wits and skills with Locker on Saturday couldn't be further from his mind, he said.

"In the Pac-10 now, there are so many quality quarterbacks," he said. "You can't get into personal battles with the quarterback on the other team. It's sort of pointless and stupid."